The Tour will run through the UK from Saturday, 5 July to Monday, 7 July, beginning in Yorkshire in the centre of Leeds for the first time.

It will be the first time that the 2014 Grand Départ of cycling’s most prestigious race has come to Yorkshire since 2007, when two million spectators lined the route from London to Kent.

The Carbon Trust will measure the carbon emissions, waste and long-term legacy impacts such as encouraging people to take up cycling. The report will examine how the environmental impact is being managed and look for areas of improvement for future events.

The Carbon Trust’s managing director for advisory Hugh Jones said: “The Tour de France is one of the world’s largest sporting events.

“Through understanding and reducing the environmental impact of the Grand Départ it is therefore possible not just to create a sustainable event, but to have a big influence with fans of cycling around the world.”

The Trust will be building on work that was developed to assess sporting events such as the London 2012 Olympics. The assessment will range from monitoring the carbon footprint of transport for the event to food and drink waste from spectators.

With the Tour’s two most recent winners coming from the UK – in Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins – this year’s opening stage is expected to see even bigger crowds than the opening stage in England in 2007.

Councillor Mark Dobson of Leeds City Council said: “There’s no doubt that the Tour de France will have a lasting impact and we’re keen to ensure that it is a positive one for the environment.

“With all aspects of the event under the sustainability microscope, we have a great opportunity to measure that impact with the outcome influencing how major sporting events are managed in the future.”

Matt Field

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